The Baseball Game
by Sara Abigail
Summary: Of course his son would love baseball. Mulder wouldn't have expected anything less.


So, I got this idea when one of my friends and I were talking about William and what we thought he would be like now. I know this would never happen, but it wouldn't leave me alone. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't even own the DVD's, what makes you think I own the rights?

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Mulder sneaked in the side of the stadium, jacket zipped almost all the way up and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. The last thing he needed was for someone to notice him and ask questions. He filed in behind a dark haired couple and ended up sitting on the bleachers next to them. Mulder pulled out the small video camera he'd brought with him and waited for the game to begin.

He shouldn't be here, he knew that. If the right person caught him here, at a baseball game in a town he had no reason to be in, they'd make dangerous assumptions. But after years of hiding from the FBI, Fox Mulder was an expert at laying low. And there was something in him that needed to see the son he'd left behind so many years ago.

That's why he'd employed Skinner to find William. Scully had protested somewhat; it was risky, someone could find them. But Mulder promised to keep his distance, and eventually Scully's need to make sure her son was being taken care of won out. She agreed to let Skinner try. Their former boss hadn't promised much, private adoption records were difficult to access, especially by someone who wasn't the child or biological parent. But, after calling in quite a few favors, he'd be able to give them some information on their son, part of which showed William's participation on his middle school baseball team.

Scully had opted to stay home. She'd argued that it was more dangerous if they both went, that it would be easier to recognize them if they were together. But Mulder could tell there was something else underneath her concern about their safety. It was a couple of nights before Mulder was going to leave that she told him, admitted she didn't think she'd be able to keep her composure throughout the entirety of the game. That's when they came up with the idea of using the video camera.

Mulder's breath caught as the team came onto the field and he saw the jersey he knew to be William's. The boy wasn't wearing a cap, giving Mulder full access to his face, his eyes roaming every inch of it. Even from this distance he could see some of Scully's features. He smiled as he watched his little boy get pumped up for the game.

"Which one is yours?" The woman sitting beside him asked. Mulder looked over at her a fumbled, caught off guard by her question. He recovered quickly.

"I'm just here to support the team."

The woman nodded. "That one is our son." She gestured to her husband before pointing down toward the field. His faze followed her finger and was shocked to see it was fixed on William.

"He's the youngest one on the team," her husband said. "The coach says he's really talented, thinks he'll go far." They both glowed with pride and Mulder couldn't help but envy them. This should be Scully and him. He swallowed his jealousy and smiled.

"He sounds like a special kid."

The woman beamed. "Oh he is. He's one of the smartest in his class, especially in science. Says he wants to be a doctor."

Mulder couldn't help but grin at that.

"He just needs to get over that stupid obsession with aliens," the man said, disgust in his voice.

"Johnathan," his wife chastised. Mulder knew he shouldn't push, but he couldn't stop himself.

"He believes in aliens?"

The starting of the game prevented any reply, or further discussion, Mulder's attention being focused on William. It was a great game, Mulder's video camera recording every second of it. And William was every bit as talented as his coach thought he was. If asked, Mulder would say this was the best game he'd ever watched, his favorite part being when William hit the home run that won his team the game. Mulder had never been more proud.

He left right after it was over, unable to watch the parents with their kids, unable to see William smile and hug his adopted parents. He managed to keep his tears at bay until he made it home.

That night he curled up in bed with Scully and they watched the game. Scully cried for most of the game, not making a sound a she saw her son run around the diamond. Once the game was over, she sobbed into Mulder's chest, her longing almost overwhelming.

"I met the couple who adopted him." He told her after a while. She looked up at him, fear in her eyes. He rubbed his hand down her back.

"Don't worry, I never told them who I was." He paused. "They're nice."

Scully caught his tone. "Would you rather they not be?"

He sighed. "No, I just…"

"Hoped there'd be something off about them, giving us just cause to get him back?"

He glanced over at her. "You've thought about that too?"

"Of course I have, Mulder." Tears pooled in her eyes. "But he's safer there. At least for now, and he deserves to be safe and happy."

Mulder rested his head against the top of hers and nodded. They were quiet for a little while longer, before Mulder spoke up again.

"He wants to be a doctor."

She turned up to look at him again and smiled. "Really?"

"Yep." They grinned at each other, then Mulder's faded. He turned away from her, his eyes focusing on the bedroom window. "He believes in aliens, Scully. And it doesn't seem to be by encouragement from his family."

Scully sucked in a breath. "That doesn't have to mean anything, Mulder. There are things about aliens all over the place; on TV, in books. It doesn't mean—" She took another deep breath. "He's safe, Mulder. He'll be okay."

"And what if he's not, Scully? What if—"

"Then we'll be there," she said sharply, cutting him off. "We know where he is now, if anything happens we'll be there."

It took a few minutes, but Mulder finally began to relax again, and soon they were both asleep, visions of their son dancing through their dreams. Scully was right, if anything happened, they'd be there. No one messed with the child of Scully and Mulder without incurring their wrath. Their boy would be okay.


End file.
